Event Report: Cross-Asian Dialogue on Rural Development Co-hosted with Nalanda University, Asian Confluence and Musubi-Te Foundation

From December 8 to 11, 2025, Strategic Dialogue and Exchange Program of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation co-hosted the workshop entitled “Cross-Asian Dialogue on Rural Development” with Nalanda University, Asian Confluence and Musubi-Te Foundation at Nalanda University in Bihar, India. The event aimed to provide a vibrant cross-border, cross-sector platform for Asian leaders to share knowledges and generate innovative approaches for future possible collaboration to rural development across Asia.
  
The event brought together more than 50 participants from Japan, India, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Iraq, and so on including practitioners, policymakers, academics, and media representatives. Through dynamic discussions and exchanges, numerous ideas for cross-border collaboration among regional leaders emerged — including the potential use of live art, among others.
 
Asia’s rural regions stand at a decisive crossroads affected by global megatrend such as climate change, demographic change, technological innovation in addition to the disparity with urban areas. How these regions respond to global shifts—and how they may themselves generate new currents of change—will be critical. Through our Asian Next Generation Network Program, the Sasakawa Peace Foundation will continue to foster collaboration among Asian leaders and partners to promote innovative, sustainable, and inclusive approaches for the future of Asian societies.